Towel-rack.



1. F.10HNST0N.

TOWEL RACK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-15.1914.

1,208,352, V Patented 0041. 31,1916.

JAMES FRANK JOHNSTON, OF BUCYRUS, OHIO.

TOWEL-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Qct. 31, 1916.

Application filed August 15. 1914. Serial No. 856.892.

To all rwhom it may concern Be it known that I, Janus FRANK JOHN- sToN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Bucyrus, county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improveinent in Towel-llacks, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to towel dispensing devices, whereby a succession of clean towel surfaces may be presented to users. The object of the said invention is to provide means of the above described character which will be economical of manufacture and efficient in use.

Said inventionl consists of means hereinafter fully7 described and particularl7 set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following i' description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be applied.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1 repre sents a vertical transverse section of a Itowel rack embodying a towel dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. Q represents a vertical section of the incasing member showing the interior mechanism in end elevation. Fig. 3 represents'a vertical transverse section of the device showing the towel element removed from the rollers. Fig. 4 represents a i'ear elevation of the mechanism contained within the incasing member. Fig. 5 represents an axial section of the lower towel roller. Fig. G is a fragmentary elevation of a detail portion of the mechanism.

The illaistrated embodiment of my inveiition comprises an iucasiiig member 1 within which is mounted. as hereinafter fully described, the towel supporting mechanism. In the illustrated device the said incasing member consists of a back member 2 to which is secured the remainder of said meinbei', the whole forming a box-like mclosure. This incasing member is furthern'iore preferably formed in two parts,a rear part 3 and a front part 4. which are hinged'together so as to be separable at` the vertical plane :if-:12, Fig. 1, so that the front portion '-1 may be swung outwardly so as to expose the interior of the in using member, as will be readily understood. The interior mecha` nismis all mounted upon the front portion of the incasing member so that when the latter is swung outwardly, such mechanism is completely exposed and readil \7 accessible.

Mounted in bearings 5 5 secured to the upper portion of the front part et of the iiicasiiig member is a towel roller (i. Fig. t. This ioller comprises a central shaft 7 upon which is removably secured the hollow sleeve 8. rThe one end of this shaft is provided with a ratchet wheel 9 of a diameter not greater than the diameter of the shaft 7. rThis ratchet wheel is engaged by a springoperated pawl 10 suitably mounted upon the interior of the incasiiig member. rlhis pawl, as will be readily understood, permits rotation of the roller in one direction (that indicated by the arrow in Fig. l) and prevents rotation in the opposite direction. The opposite end of this shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 11 rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. and the extreme ends of the shaft are provided with journal portions 12 12, which directly engage the hearings 5 5, as shown in said figure. One of these bearings is open at the top, the one on the right, as shown in Fig. 4L. whereby the roller may be readily removed therefrom, such bearing being preferably formed as illustrated in Fig. G, wherein the opening is shown to be located in a lateral and upper position whereby the removal of one end and hence the entire shaft is facilitated. Rigidly secured to thisshaft is a pin 13 which en` gages a helical slot 11 formed in one end of sleeve S. as shown in Fig. 4. This slot is inclined as shown. the inclination being inward and the direction opposite that of the direction of rotation. The opposite end of this sleeve is formed with a similar slot 14, which, however. does not engage any pin on the said shaft. lt will therefore be seen that the removal of the sleeve S may be eected by first swinging the front portion l of the ineasing member upon its hinges so as to expose the interior mechanism. then lifting the end opposite that upon which the sprocket wheel 11 is secured, out of its bearing 5, iii-st suitably disengaging the pawl 10, carrying said end upwardly and ontwardly from the said bearing on the incasing member, then turning the sleeve S whereby the slot 14 disengages the pin 13. After this turning movement has been effected, the

- member is Aprovided with slots 29 29 of a width slightly greater than sleeve may be slid otf the disengaged end of the shaft. To prevent the inadvertent disengagement of the opposite end of the shaft from its bearings 5, I prefer to provide a retaining device 15 which may consist of a suitable, bent strip of sheet metal of proper strength which extends upwardly and in the vicinlty of thesprocket wheel 11, as shown, and prevents the latter from moving in the direction ofthe rollers axis, as will be readily understood.

l Below the roller (3, having its axis parallel therewith and also mounted upon the front part 4 of the incasing member is a second roller 1G also provided with a ratchet wheel 9 engaged by a second pawl 10 which prevents rotation of the roller in the same direction as such rotation is prevented in the case of the roller (5. This roller 16 alsol comprises a shaft, 17, and an outer hollow sleeve, 8, the latter being in all respects exactly identical in construction with the hollow sleeve 8. The one end of thev shaft is provided with the journal portion 18 which is mounted in a vbearing member 5L similar` to the bearing member 5 on the right, Fig. 4. This shaft is furthermore provided with a central bore 19 which intersects the opposite end of the' shaft, and in this bore is seated a pin 20 whose outer end is formed with the journallportion 21 which engages a second bearing member 5a. Intermediately of the one end of the bore 19 and the pin 20 is a coilfspring 22 one end of which is secured to the pin :20 and the other end to the interior of the shaft. Mounted uponthe outer portion lof the pin 20 is a second sprocket-wheel and adjacent to this wheel and on the shaft 17 is secured apin 24 similar to the pinv 13 previously described. This pin engages a slot 25 formed in the corresponding end of the sleeve 8, the slot, however, being, inclined in the opposite direction as shown. The other end of the sleeve 8a is formed with` a second slot 25 as shown in Fig. 4. A sprocket-chain 26 con'- nects the two sprocket-wheels 11 and 23. 'A second retaining device 27 is provided adjacent to the sprocket-wheel 23, and the sleeve 8a 17 in the same manner as the sleeve 8 is removed from its shaft, the retainin device 27 preventing the dislocation o said shaft 17 as previously described in connecthe retaining device 15.

tion with The front member 28 of the incasing two horizontal the width of the toweling 32 which is to be used. This toweling is wound upon Athe two rollers as shown in Fig. 1, one end being secured to the sleeve 8 by `means of suitable pointed projections 30, Fig. 4, suitably securedthereto.- From thisv upper roller the toweling (passes outwardly may be removed from the shaft -tion of the through the upperslot 29 and then back through the lower slot 29 and. around the sleeve 8 to the lower roller, the pointed projections 31 31 being secured to this latter sleeve as shown in said Fig. 4 for the purpose of securing the lother end of the toweling.

In preparing the above described device for operation a detached sleeve 8 is taken, one end of the toweling 32 secured to the pointed projections 30 and rolled upon said sleeve. One end of the upper shaft 7 is then 'removed as previously described and the sleeve slipped thereon, causing the inner slot 14 to engage the pin 13. The disconnected end of the shaft being then replaced and the pawl 10 being cause to engage t-he ratchet-wheel 9, the outer end of the toweling is passed through the slots as previously dscribed and then secured to the sleeve `8a of the lower roller, the pointed projections 31 being used for sc securing this end. The lower roller is now rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 so as to maintain the toweling 32 in a taut condition as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. A portion 33 of such toweling' is thus exposed upon the exterior of the incasing member. The front portion 4 of the latter is then closed and secured to the rear portion 3 by any suitable locking device.

The device as thus far described is now in a position for use. Vhen it is desired to use a portion of the toweling, the exposed portion 33 is grasped at the sides and pulled outwardly. This pullin movement rotates the upper roller in the direction indicated,

rotation of the latter is transmitted to the pin 20, therotation of the latter Winding up the coil-spring 22.` During this operation the sleeve 8n is held stationary by the lower pawl 10, the tension on the toweling tending to rotate the said sleeve in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow and thus operating sistance created bv the engagement of the in opposition to the re-- said pawl` and the lower ratchet-wheel 12.

4The exposed portion of the toweling is thus increased and may then be used. U on its release the spring 22 .rotates the shart) 517 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 4 and said shaft, through the medium of the pin 24 drives and rotates`r the sleeve 8a, thus toweling and drawing the exposed portion inwardly into the incasing member until a. condition of tautness4 is again established. t

winding in the lower por- The above operation is repeated until all of the toweling is unwound from the upper roller, whereupon the incasing member is opened, the one end of the lower shaft disengaged and the sleeve 8a removed, together with the soiled toweling. The device is then supplied with a fresh roll of toweling, the latter being applied to the upper roller as before described, and the above described operations are repeated.

In order to facilitate the ready grasping of the exposed portion of the toweling, I prefer to apply a projecting member 3l, Fig. 1, to the exterior of the front 2S of the incasing member which holds the toweling outwardly from the latter a short distance whereby the fingers of the operator.

may be inserted underneath, as will be readily understood, for the purpose of drawing the towel outwardly as previously described. This projecting member may be of any vsuitable dimensions such as may be found will effect the purpose above described, and may be of any suitable construction or material, one requisite being,

however that it shall not present any sharp edges or points which would catch and thus injure the fabric of the toweling.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is t 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an incasing member; a roller mounted in the latter; a towel wound upon said roller; a. second roller mounted in said member and comprising a roller shaft and hollow' sleeve mounted thereon to which latter one end of said towel is secured; a spring having one end connected with said shaft and the other end connected with said first-named roller; and means connecting said two rollers whereby the rotation of the first-named roller will energize said spring.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an incasing member; a roller mounted in the latter and adapted to receive a roll of toweling; a second roller mounted in said member and comprising a hollow roller shaft and sleeve mounted thereon to which one end of said towel is adapted to be secured; a coil-spring in said hollow shaft and having one end secured thereto; rotatable Vmeans connecting the other end of said spring with said firstnamed roller; and means connecting said two rollers whereby the rotation of the firstnamed roller willV energize said spring.

irl. In a device of the class described, the combination of a. roller suitably mounted; a second roller having its axis parallel with that of said first-named roller and having a hollow shaft; a coil-spring in said hollow shaft and having one end secured thereto; a suitable bearing for one end of said shaft; a pin rotatably mounted in and projecting from the other end of said shaft and secured to the other end of said spring; a suitable bearing for the projecting end of said pin; and gearing connecting said first-named roller and the said shaft.

+L. In a device of the class described, the combination of an incasing member; means within the latter for receiving and holding a roll of toweling; said incasing member being provided with two slots; said two slots being arranged so that said toweling may extend fromthe interior through one of said slots to the exterior of the casing and from such exterior back into the interior through the other slot; means for retaining such exteriorly-extending towel portion in a taut condition; and an outwardly-project ing device secured to the exterior of said casing and located between said slots for holding such exteriorly-extending portion of such toweling away from the casing.

In a device of the class described, the combination of a roller suitably mounted and comprising a shaft and removable hollow sleeve mounted thereon so as to be adapted to drive said shaft; a second roller suitably mounted and having its axis parallel with that of said first-named roller; said second-named roller comprising a shaft and removable hollow sleeve mounted thereon so as to be adapted to be driven by said shaft; and means connecting said two rollers whereby the rotation of the first-named thereof will effect the automatic rotation of the shaft of the secondnamed roller.

Signed by me, this'17th day of May, 1913.

JAMES FRANK JOHNSTON.

Attested by A. L. HoLLowAY, H. N. OBERLANDER. 

